🔗 Share this article The city's Chief Executive Directs Probe into Deadly Fire that Killed 151 The city's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 residents. Footage shows velocity of blaze propagation in the city's high-rise. A Fire of Historic Proportions Last Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the housing complex—which was subject to major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that protective netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards. A minimum of 13 individuals have been arrested for potential negligent homicide, among them the executives of a contractor. "Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in multiple areas. Hence we must act seriously to ensure that all these gaps are addressed," he said. The Probe and Its Consequences The inferno—advancing with speed both upwards and from building to building—was finally put out by Friday morning, approximately two days after it began, and required in excess of 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control. On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the probe could take approximately a month. This blaze is the deadliest the region has witnessed in more than 70 years. Systemic Failures Identified Several residents have said they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the blaze started. Local firefighters found that detection devices in all eight blocks were not working effectively. Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended works on three dozen private developments. Demands for Probe and Detentions Additionally, officers took into custody a young man on allegations of incitement on Saturday. He was involved with a collective demanding an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An online petition gathered over 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its information was removed. Two other people, comprising a past council member, were also taken in by police, according to news outlets. Chief executive John Lee said that the inquiry would be chaired by a member of the judiciary. International Reaction The human rights organization and The monitoring body have both criticised the alleged detentions. "The moment has come for the city's officials to openly examine the causes of the catastrophic blaze...instead of suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group. Background and Resident Profile The housing estate was built in the early 1980s and had supplied 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 occupants, according to a 2021 government census. Almost four in ten of its residents are estimated to be at least 65 years of age. Several have been occupants of the subsidised housing estate since it was built. The city's second-most fatal incident on record took 176 lives in 1948 and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at a sporting venue in 1918, when more than 600 attendees perished.